Crow trap



J. W. ALLEN Fehf 16, 1932.

CROW TRAP Filed April 28, 1930 ill-ll .hHI.. l c n HUM. NNUU.

HH n u u n n n, .Hrllllvllllclh HHHHiIa lllllll Il I llllh James w/men dmv Patented Feb. 16, 1932` Y Y 1 miren si Ares JAMES W. ALLEN, or sr. PAL, MINNESOTA CROW-,Tann

Application filed yApril 28,

It is the object of this invention to provide eiiicient means for destroying harmful birds such as crows.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a central vertical section through my device,taken on the line v1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan View of the same; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the' line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5-of Figfl.r` V Y Y My device has a long 'andrelatively thin, rectangular casing 6 adapted to be secured in Vupright position on a suitable support, such as a post 7. A pair of angle clips-8 project from one side of the casing and are perfo. rated to receive screws or other attaching means to enga-ge the top of the post 7. Screws 9 may also be employedlin rmly securing the casing tothe post, theV latter screws extending through perforations in the casing 6 from the interior thereof. `Supported on a trigger rod 10`on the upperA end of the casing 6 is a perch 11or the birds.`

A series of impaling members 12 are. extensible from suitable periorations in the top of the casing. These imp'aling members consist of `parallel rods with sharpenedupper ends located, when the trap is set, beneath the top of the perch 11. In the embodiment illustrated there are six of the impaling mem- A bers 12, three spaced along each longitudinal side of the perch 11 and arranged to be simultaneously thrust upward, as indicated in dot,- ted lines in Fig. 1. At their lower ends the impaling members 12 are rigidly connected by a plate 13. The assembly of impaling members and plate 13 may be retracted by a Vertical rod 14 which is secured to the plate 13 at one end and projects from the bottom of the casing. This rod 14 is guided inthe bottom of the casing 6 in a horizontal member 15 spaced from the bottom of said casing. A` stout coiled spring 16 is confined on the rod 1930. 'seriaiNm 447,898. V

14 Lbetween the plate 13 andlmember 15, said spring being held under compression whenV the trap isf set,was` shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

A stop bar 17 projectsbeneath the plateflsV to limit downward movement of the impal- 5mi. ing members and this barv17 is rigidly secured.A to -a removableside 18 of the casingf. A series` of lingers 191project from theupp'er. end of the side 18 for insertion in slots inthe top of the'casing. Thebottom of the casing 555 7 is integral with the lower edge of the side 18 Y and provided with upturned anges 2O which arev perforated to receive removable rods 21 adapted to hold the removable side 18 in place when closed. Asbestshown inFigs.:1'and 4, a channel member 22-is secured to therbottomo lthe. rigid guide bar 15.and has downwardlylpro.- jecting Hanges lbetween whichfal trigger .or

detent 28is pivotally mounted onv a-pin24. `g5 lfly Adjacent tothe rod14the detent is provided 4 with a tooth 25adapted to engage in a notch 28 in sai-d rod.- `Thetrigger rod'lO/projects Y downward fromv a perforation inthe bar 15.

andis connected `to the trigger 23 by a pin 27. 70

ToV normally support the perch 11, trigger .23

and extend the tooth" 25 into the notch 26, a spring 28 is'confinedV on the rod 10 between thebar 15 anda pin 29. Said pin 29 projectsy atthe sides of the Yrod 10,:as best shown` in Fig. 4, and the tension of the spring 28 may be adjusted by removing the pin 29 and` confining more or less of the spring between said pin and the bar 15.

It willfbeunderstood that the perch 11 is 8u fixed on the upperend of the rod' 10 and is normally supported in spaced relation to the upper endof the kcasing 6'by the spring 28.

The tension of the spring is VadjustedA so that Vthe weight of a bird, of the size it is desired 8 5 to destroy, will lbe suiicient to compressthe springbetween the pin .-29 and barl `'and permit movement of the 'rod 10 kdownward withr resultingwithdrawal 'of the tooth 25 from the-notch 2 6. 'Y

In use the post 7 is located in a field which it is desired to protect from the birds and vthe trap is mounted on said post as hereinbefore described. To set the trap it is only necessary to draw the projecting rod 14.- downward until the plate 13 strikes the stop Y bar 17. At this point the spring 28 raises the detent 23 and causes the tooth 25 to enter the notch 26. Now when the rod 14 is released `the spring 16 is held under compression by the trigger tooth 25.

It is well known that harmful birds, such as crowswll-ali'gh-t on any convenient high. point or perch and where my trap is located in a grain field or the like where there are no other convenient roosting places, it has been found that they almost invariably alight on the perch 11. weight equal to or greater than therminimum for which the trap has been adjusted alights on the perch 11IV the rod 10 is thrust downward againstlthe action of the'spring 28 so as -to withdraw the tooth 25' from the notch 26.- *Ihis releases the impaling members and thespring 16 thrusts them upward'with sufyhc'ient force to `penetrate and killv the bird.

To reset the trap the rodl; is merely grasped and pulled down whilethe preceding catch ly holding said detent in operative relation tosaid impaling members, means for adjusting the tension of said trigger spring and a connectionbetween said trigger rod and detent for withdrawing said detent from operative position when said perch is depressed against the action of said trigger spring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

' JAMES W. ALLEN.

When a bird of is removed. By proper adjustment ofthe "spring 28, the trap is vrendered inoperative to destroy the small birds which in most cases are notv harmful to the crops. The device has beeni found to be highlyneficient in destroying the larger, harmful birds.

I-Iaving described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is: y A l. In a bird trap, a movable perch, extensib-le and retractileimpaling members mounted in parallel relation to each other and nor- Y mally retracted'beneath said perch and eX- tensible upward at opposite sides of the same,

an actuating spring for said impaling members, a manually operable member for retracting said impaling members, a detent for l retaining said members in retracted position against the action of said spring, a trigger rod supporting saidperch and operatively connected to said detentl and a spring coiled about said rod and arranged to normally hold casing to project said impaling members up- Y ward, a detent, a trigger spring coiled on said trigger rod for supporting it and for normal- 

